Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-04-16
THE WHIRLING RAVAGER
BEGINS ITS WORK EARLY AND WITH
TERRIBLE ENERGY.
A Section of Ohio Devastated by the
Fury of the Dreaded
Cyclone.

Martins Ferry Loses 100 Houses That
Are Wrecked Over the Heads of the Oc-
cupants-A Score or So Wounded, of
Whom Some VIII Die-Other Places
suffer-Two Fatal Explosions
Losses by Fire.
PITTsBUR6, Pa, April 16-The Times
special from Wheeling, W. Va, says: A
storm-cloud, accompanied by heavy wind
and hail, swooped down on the town Of Mar
tins Ferry, Ohio, at 4:l5 O'Clock Friday after
noon. The day had been sultry, and at
o'clock heavy bank of light-colored clouds
appeared in the west. The first inkling the
residents had of the storm was a shrill roar;
heard plainly mile away. The cyclone
struck the town from the northwest and cut
huge swath, leveling brick and frame
houses alike, in many instances overtaking
before they could effect an escape from their
shattered dwellings.
The number of houses wrecked will foot
up between as and 100, in addition to which
the Martins Ferry stove works, large con-
Germ employing over 100 men, was almost
completely ruined The south wall was torn
completely out and other portions OF the
structure so badly damaged as to compel the
entire rebuilding of the works The Elson
glass works was also badly injured, the
4 +ba
houses and factory unroofed, and the walls
partially demolished.
The loss in Clark addition, just north of
the town, is simply incalculable, fully fifty
brick and frame structures being destroyed,
many of them being literally wiped out of
existence. The violence Of the storm was
such that tombstones in Washington Grove
cemetery were torn out OF the ground and
lofty monuments snapped off short like
twigs
In other portions of the devastated sec
ton the ground for hundreds of yards
around was strewn with splintered. frag-
ments Of household furniture, clothing and
miscellaneous articles
The number of persons injured will foot
up in the neighborhood Of twenty or thirty.
The following is a partial list: James Riley,
both legs broken, internally injured, will
die; Mrs. James Riley, hurt internally; Mrs.
A. S. Wilhelm, caught beneath falling walls,
collar bone broken; John Ottiuger, right
shoulder broken; James Lash, injured in
ternally; Lucy Jordon, arm broken, splinter
driven into her side, dangerously hurt;
John Sinsford, ribs broken; Mart Davidson,
head crushed by piece of timber, will die;
Mrs. Bridget Duffy, hurt internally; infant
daughter Of Charles Summer, hit by a brick
while in its mothers arms; James Owen,
right leg injured.
The loss will be between S3:0,O0O and
$500, 600
The storm did untold damage in st.
Gainesville, the county seat of Belmont
county, Ohio. Six houses were blown down
and fifty houses unroofed, but fortunately no
lives were lost. Among the buildings totally
destroyed were the United Presbyterian
church, residence of Benjamin Parkhurst,
First National bank, residence of H. C. Well
day, Welaay's hall, dry goods store of c.
Troll & Sons The residence and barn of
Judge Thomas Cochran, two miles west of
town were also blown to the ground The
fair ground was depleted of fences, stands
and O. lsr buildings and is entirely desolated
At Bartons' station, four miles north Of st.
Gainesville, new brick house was leveiled
to the ground.
At Paseo, five miles west of this city, on
the National road, the brick house of A.
Hinkle was demolished and he was badly
hurt
Large tracts of wood in this vicinity have
not a tree uninjured, while most of them are
fiat on the ground.
The town of Bridgeport, just across the
river, escaped, as did Wheeling. but fu-
neral was in the cemetery on the hill top at
the time, and the carriages were blown over
and carried against the trees
WELLsvILE, Ohio, April I6-One of the
most terrific storms that ever visited this
section passed over this part of the country
at clock Friday afternoon, doing immense
damage. The tornado crossed the Cleveland
& Pittsburg railroad at Summitville, and
was accompanied by huge waterspout,
which burst Just on the outskirts of the
town, destroying fences and farm property,
tearing up trees and prostrating telegraph
wires. Reports of the damage done are
meager, owing to the wires being down. NJ
fatalities so far are reported.